The Jorge Montt Glacier in Chile is shrinking at a rate of more than half a mile a year, according to researchers.

Chile's Centre for Scientific Studies (CECs) said that several glaciers in the country's south have shrunk because of global warming but that the 175 sq mile Jorge Montt is one of those shrinking the fastest.

The glacier is part of the 5,020 square mile Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the third largest frozen land mass after Antarctica and Greenland.

Andres Rivera, of the CECs, said global warming is a factor and the glacier is also melting especially quickly because it partly rests in the waters of a deep fojrd.

Researchers presented a video showing the glacier's year-long retreat through a total of 1,445 time-lapse photos.

"It was more or less clear that this was one of those retreating most quickly. But we didn't expect in the year of working with these cameras that it would retreat a kilometre more. That was a surprise," he said. "This glacier is filled with surprises for us."